[Baudinsballs]

Although this is a topic asking for advice, it is also where you can say what kind of ending that you like and prefer to read.
I am currently revising, finishing the outlines and such. And I need help on deciding the end of my story.

Through my out lines I have only one main character death. (In book two) but even still I have a kind of impending doom theme going on, invasion from the north, invasion from the south. Resistance from the south and a revolution against puppet royal families. While played in the backround is the feud between two immortal beings, and their attempt to settle a milenia old rivalry.

Now thanks to an idea I was given about higher beings that probably wouldn't be too happy about fate and destiny being mucked about, I have people trying to correct things in a very black and white way. (Kill kill kill)

But come the third book, there is essentially a blood bath as the bad guy has beaten her adversary, and as she sets about killing all those who might stop her plans. Sufice to say she succeeds in her plan and this ends up causing the arrival of the race that caused the End-Lords to flee in the first place. So at the end the world is pretty much ruined.

All but one of the main characters is dead, although he has to sacrifice his life in the end. But even as this happens I set up another world, a reality where the characters destinies and their fates were not mucked with. It is with this reality I intend to end with. But I am unsure as whether to have it as a down beat ambigious ending, or happy ending.

Downbeat ambigous ending: The main characters paths cross, signalling that even had their fates not been altered they would still meet, but leave it for people to decide if they would end up in the same patterns as before, (friends, lovers etc)

Or an ending where they do recognise each other and realise that they had another life. This would end with them all meeting at the place where the bad guy had opened a portal, and allowed the other race to invade, and they would blow up the tower/construct.

Now I know the second one would seem like a cop out, but I hope it would come across as even though they remember their 'other' lives, they won't be those people as the events that turned them into who they are, have never happened.

I like both endings in what I read, but i find the tone has to suit the ending.

[hmqb]

I like the frist ending better, but thats just me

[SalokinX]

I like mystery.

I love when authors end the book with something like "and while on the ground waiting for his death he saw someone walking his way" but doesn't explain if it's either a friend or a foe. It makes ending something personal, something the reader will for ever remember because THEY made it, it was the author's pizza topped with the reader's choice of toppings.

That's my opinion. I hope it helps.

[Slow Ben]

I like both kinds, really.

But more importantly i like endings that fit with the rest of the book. Dont try and fit one in just because its a certain type.

I say choose which one flows better from the rest of the book and go with it.

[Defiance]

I'd for for ambiguous. But this really reminds me of theories about the alternate timeline (what it was and what would happen with it) that existed until the final episode aired.

[SalokinX]

Defiance, on 11 June 2010 - 10:52 PM, said:

I'd for for ambiguous. But this really reminds me of theories about the alternate timeline (what it was and what would happen with it) that existed until the final episode aired.

I'm Lost.

[Defiance]

Wow, last post was a fail. Was pretty stoned. Anyway, was talking about Lost as Salokin kindly pointd out.

[Fist Gamet]

Hard to say but the first ending sounds better. Nothing wrong with a bit of mystery at the end but I would say you need to make sure, whatever you do, that you give the reader a satisfying pay off and some closure. Like SB said, make sure it fits with what has gone before. You can make either work so long as the reader has some idea what's coming - so, don't introduce anything new at the end, perhaps some foreshadowing and so on.

I am not a fan of happy endings as such, and I do like a little poignancy. Imho, the focus should be on closure in a manner consistent with your story.

[worry]

Obviously you go with the ambiguous ending in case your book makes bank, so you can cook up a sequel.

[Use Of Weapons]

As a rule, I don't care what the emotional tone of an ending is, as long as it is clearly and end rather than a stopping point.

Having said that, while your first ending above is certainly a proper ending, it's a bit bleak for me. Not a huge fan of tragedies here, especially if the one left standing is clearly the villain of the piece. (Wasn't a fan of Othello.)

[Baudinsballs]

Thanks for the imput.

Well I do plan to give closure to it. For the first ending I plan on having two of the main characters, who were lovers in the begining meet up, (a way of suggesting that some of the characters, had their fate and destiny not been messed with, might have still met up.

And I begin forshadowing it from book one. Book Two i introduce a character that is a higher being and is aware of the alterations., though unlike his cousins, doesn't see the point in killing those who've had their paths altered. Book three, I had planned on actually revealing the alt reality half way through, if not at the end. If just at the end then there would only be, say a chapter, set in the other reality. So I'm thinking have it threaded throughout the last book. Which in turn would mean bringing fourth some of book threes events into book two. Currently Book two ends with Xara (the bad guy) killing Kara (the good guy)

But if i bring things forward, I could have book three begin with the alt

[ShadowRaven]

A mixture of the two you suggested could be interesting. The characters just meeting anyway is the better idea IMO, but it would be interesting if you added a line or two about them not outright recognizing each other, but rather having a defa vu type of an experience (along the lines of "there's something familiar about her...").

[Aimless]

If everyone and everything goes splat then it may be difficult to have a natural ending, ie. an ending that fits perfectly to the story you've told.

But don't let them meet it's been done, eg. in The Butterfly Effect.

No, instead, put them in prisons of tedium and frustration similar to the ones they were in before they were swept up by fate. We'll remember how much they're capable of, and curse you for taking away from them all their achievements, for denying them even the knowledge that they can be so much more than they are.

And then give them a small triumph, in their tiny lives so that we know that all's well, it wasn't just a cruel dream, they're still those awesome dudes and dudettes deep down inside.



PS. Never listen to this sort of specific advice from strangers called Aimless.